Heartless
by ZanderXX
Summary: Months after the first four descendants betrayed their own kind, another four will become part of their new world, including Mal's brother, Mac. But these kids are nothing like the first ones; with the help of the other three, Mac will do everything in his power to avenge his mother and finish what she started. There is only one, however, with the power to stop Maleficent's son.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I watched the movie and I loved it. Loved all the characters but Evie won a special place in my heart and I thought of this, kind of what could happen next in this story. I don't own anything but Mac, Saul, Jade and Hailey, my four descendants.**

 **This is how I picture them:**

 **Garrett Clayton – Macarius/Mac, son of Maleficent, twin brother of Mal.**

 **Maia Mitchell – Jade, daughter of Captain Hook.**

 **Jake T. Austin – Saul, son of Dr. Facilier.**

 **Joey King – Hailey, daughter of Queen of Hearts.**

* * *

Chapter 1.

"Are you ready for this?"

Mal turned to look at Ben who stood beside her, his fingers intertwined with hers and his thumb running soothingly over the side of her hand. In a few minutes they would welcome the new children from the Isle of the Lost, who would have a chance at Auradon this time around, the ones chosen by the recently crowned King of Auradon, Ben. As his girlfriend, the moment she found out that other kids from the island would attend Auradon Prep, Mal had begged to know the names of all four of them.

It hadn't been pretty when Ben mentioned her brother.

She had been furious and inevitably scared. Truly scared. In between shouting and pacing, she had tried to make Ben understand that her twin brother, Mac, was nothing like her. He was the exact image of their mother: evil, rotten, heartless, and he would surely try to break the peace they had tried to break once, but his efforts wouldn't be as pitiful as theirs.

And if he had his sights set on revenge, Mal was afraid he would most likely accomplish it, he wouldn't stop until doing so.

"I think I am," she said, squeezing back Ben's hand.

"He doesn't have his magic, remember?" Ben whispered. "He won't be able to hurt you or anyone else."

Unlike her, Mac had been born with powerful magic, just like their mother, therefore he had always been Maleficent's favorite ―she had been disappointed when her daughter had been chosen to go to Auradon the first time instead of her son. His magic had never been put to good use, back in the Island he could only do some silly tricks, but the fact that he could actually do magic in a place where no one except for the most powerful villain could, was the answer to the extent of his growing strength.

Mal definitely didn't want to find out what he could do.

Of course Ben, his heart always so trusting and noble, hadn't listen to her and didn't change his mind, reminding her all the same that he hadn't given up on her in the past; he did took some precautions and had Fairy Godmother put an enchantment on Mal's brother the moment he was outside the barrier so his magic wouldn't work at Auradon, just like it didn't work at the Isle.

"It'll be fine, I promise," Ben added, turning to look at the approaching limo.

With her heart beating wildly against her chest, Mal looked at her sister in all but blood, standing right in between Carlos and Jay, the other two members of her new family. Just by eyeing her, Mal knew Evie was scared to the bones. All of them knew Mac, they had tried to be more like him back in the Isle, but Evie knew him better than all, with the exception of Mal, of course. Evie and Mac had been weirdly close back then when they were all supposed to be bad and only wanted to be like their parents; back then, they had shared a silent friendship ―in a world where the word friends literally meant 'I won't stab you in the back'.

Therefore, Evie knew as well that Mac was nothing like them, and the possibility of him changing for good was non-existent.

"Don't worry, we'll help them just like Ben helped us," Carlos whispered to Evie followed by an encouraging squeeze of her hand. "He will know what good is."

It was obvious that Carlos had misunderstood her concern about the whole situation; she would send Mac back to the Isle if she could. She felt the hair of the back of her neck rising when the limo finally stopped in front of them and the driver got out of the car to open the back door.

The first one to get out of the car was a younger girl, fourteen, Evie knew well, with pale skin and brown hair above her shoulders. Her ocean blue eyes had turned into thin slits and her brow into a deep frown the moment she stepped out of the car, before she brought the heart shaped lollipop to her mouth. Her girly dress was red with a black belt, matching collar and wrists, and she wore a small, golden tiara as well.

Hailey, the annoying and loud daughter of the Queen of Hearts.

The girl who followed was their age, tall and beautiful, her skin of the lightest olive and her eyes black like coal; her long wavy hair was of the same color, with silver jewelry tied to a few strands. Her 'lady pirate' style was just as dark: black boots to the knee, high waisted, black pants and a matching top; the leather jacket, however, was crimson and so was the bandana covering her forehead ―she also wore a small dagger attached to her right hip. Her face was unreadable, and her hand played with the pocket clock hanging from her neck as she was also eyed by everybody on the yard.

Jade, the deadly and fierce daughter of Captain James Hook.

Evie first saw the hat of the young man who followed, black and not as tall as his father's had once been, but with the same red band, the pirate skull and bones in the middle, and the feather, of course. On his upper body he only wore a necklace with long teeth and dark purple best that showed off his formed biceps, and black pants with nice shoes on the lower part. His skin was tanned and his dark brown locks were exposed when he took off his hat to make an elaborated vow, a lazy grin on his face.

Saul, the liar and cheater son of Dr. Facilier.

He started to absently play with a deck of cards as he moved to let the last kid get out of the limo. Evie could hear Mal holding her own breath as another tall young man got out of the fancy car: black combat boots, black jeans ripped on the knees, and black loosen shirt with half of the buttons opened reviling part of his sculpted chest. A long iron necklace hanged from his neck, a round pendent with a bright and purple rock in the middle moving from side to side as he walked closer to all of them. Evie looked up to find green eyes and a huge, wicked grin on his handsome face as he approached.

The familiarities with Mal were undeniable.

"Mal, dear sister," he spoke once standing right before her, and his deep voice sent shivers down Evie's spine. "Long time no see."

"Brother," she addressed him, not breaking eye contact. Evie knew that although not many words were being exchanged, many things were said between the two siblings. "You haven't changed a thing."

"You can't say the same thing, right?" That wicked smile only grew, taunting. "How's mother? They have her locked up around here, in some dungeon, I'm guessing. But she deserves it, doesn't she?"

His charming talking was only fooling the trusting people of Auradon; Mal didn't believe any word that came out of his mouth. Before she could say anything else, Ben cleared his throat to redirect Mac's attention to him.

"Macarius, I'm Ben―"

"Oh, please, don't call me Macarius," he waved it off with a wide grin, taking Ben extended hand in his, as the King smiled friendly at the newcomer. "It's way too fancy. I'm just Mac, your highness."

"And I'm just Ben," he said.

Mac laughed shortly.

"I have a feeling we'll be good friends, Ben." He let go of Ben's hand and moved to the right, finding himself face to face with two boys he hadn't seen in a long time. "Carlos and Jay! How are you, fellas? Still stealing things, still afraid of dogs?" Dude barked then, sitting right in between Carlos' feet, while the two boys stared at Mal's brother. Mac smirked at the dog and then at Carlos. "Guess not…"

He moved again to the right and Evie felt her heart beating wildly against her ribcage when his green sight found her brown one. The smile on his face softened, although that wicked glint on his eyes never vanished ―she could see it there even miles away―; the intensity of his stare was burning and didn't allow her to breath.

"And Evie," he sighed almost dramatically. "Still the fairest of them all, I see. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you haven't changed a thing." She didn't like the compliment, not coming from him, and suddenly she felt he was too close; she wanted to move but her feet weren't listening. "I've actually missed you, E."

With that smile that was nothing but mocking, he took her hand in his and bent down to leave a soft kiss on its back, turning her blood cold. Luckily, the headmistress chose that moment to introduce herself to the new four children of Ithe sle, making Mac step back in the line with the other three kids, although his amused eyes never left Evie's.

"We welcome you, children! I'm the fairy godmother, headmistress of Auradon Prep!" her voice was loud and happy, just like it had been when it was Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos getting out of the limo. Nobody missed Saul's snort but he was quiet the moment he felt everybody staring at him. "We're more than happy that King Ben's proclamation to give a chance to the children of the Isle is still standing," the Fairy Godmother continued, choosing to ignore Saul, "and that you accepted our help so you can become the kind and good people you are supposed to be, just like the four children before you."

"And I promise I'll make sure your stay will be nothing but pleasant," Ben added, beaming proudly at them after shaking the hands of the others, his arm now around Mal's waist when he went back to his spot beside her ―Mac smirked at the sight of this. "Now come on, I'm sure you want to settle in your dorms. After that we can show you the rest of the school if you'd like."

"This place is huge," spoke Saul when they arrived inside the wide hallway with the two stairs that leaded to the dorms. "I hope our room is just as fancy, Mac."

"We have to share rooms?" asked Jade looking sideways to the fourteen year old who was still sucking into her heart shaped lollipop. "And I get the little brat, don't I?"

"Who are you calling a little brat, Wreck it Ralph?" Hailey shot back, narrowing her eyes at the older girl, who she clearly wasn't intimidated by.

"Wreck it Ralph?"

"I think she called you like that because of the fact that you're crazy dangerous when you're angry," explained Saul with an amused grin. "Remember that time you almost chopped my arm off just because I borrowed one of your swords?"

"Borrowed?" Jade raised a perfectly styled eyebrow, her hand dangerously close to the handle of the dagger on her belt ―she wasn't allowed to carry her blade around campus, but she had her way of persuading others and at least she could bring a small knife with her wherever she went. "You don't know what that word means, Saul."

"No, no," Saul smirked, his right hand playing with the deck of cards. "We just know different definitions."

"Oh, please, all the definitions in your text book mean stealing, cheating and stealing," Hailey huffed and sneered at older boy.

"Touché."

His laugher was cut off by Ben's coughing. The three of them turned to see the King and the other five ―including Mac― watching their little exchange. While Mac's eyes showed his amusement, Ben only opened and closed his mouth trying to say something, his brain reminding him that these four kids were not Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos, and he couldn't expect them to act like his friends.

"I'm afraid there won't be any stealing, guys," the King finally spoke, bringing his hands together as another friendly smiled showed on his face ―Mac wondered to himself how polite and welcoming someone could be before it turned annoying.

"I had to learn to live with that too," Jay joked, making Saul smirk.

"And yes, you will be sharing rooms," Ben continued. "But I'm sure you'll find a way to get along, girls, isn't it more fun to have someone with you than being alone?" The girls just looked at each other and then back at the King, who decided to keep going and let the matter drop, grinning widely when he saw one of his closest friends makeing his way into the hallway. "Doug! Guys, this is Doug, he has your schedules for tomorrow. Your classes begin first thing in the morning."

"We have to wake up early?" Saul complained.

"You'll get used to that too," Carlos grinned, running his hand through Dude's fur.

"It's nice to meet you all," Doug said politely, handing each their school schedules, and sharing a private grin with Evie ―Mac inwardly smirked when he saw the exchange. Doug left shortly after that, and dragged Ben with him, saying something about his father calling for him ―of course Ben didn't follow his friend without reminding the four newcomers that he was at their disposal if there was anything they needed.

"Let's go to your rooms," Mal spoke when they saw Ben and Doug disappear around the corner. "This way."

She guided them all as conversation began to flow among the rest. While Jay and Carlos advised Saul and the girls to try everything they could at meals, also to visit the extensive gardens and of course the Tourney field, Mac walked closely to Evie, who desperately tried to ignore the feeling of his stare on her back.

"Who was that?" he asked, walking right beside her. He couldn't help the entertained smile on his face as Evie eyed him briefly. She was scared of him, he could tell, and he liked it.

"You heard," she said. "Doug, son of Dopey."

Mac didn't let the irony slip. The son of a dwarf, son of one of the closest friends to her mother's enemy, now close friends with her. It was hilarious in his head.

"I meant, who is he to you?" he insisted. The way the pitiful half dwarf looked at Evie, it only meant they were more than friends, or at least he was dying to be more than that.

"That's none of your business," she shot back, her nose up.

"Oh!" he laughed a little bit. "Is he your Prince Charming?" Evie side glanced at him before going back to her walking, trying to ignore him completely. "Okay, yeah, of course, a dwarf! What a shame, though, the thing I was looking forward the most about this little trip was getting close to you again."

He laughed even harder when he saw her jaw clenching strongly before they finally arrived to the first dorm, the boys'; it was big, with two twin beds on opposite walls, a dresser in between, a table on the left, opened windows everywhere, and their cases in each bed. Mac and Saul stayed while the others continued a few doors down to the girls' room.

Mac looked around and when the door closed behind them, the half smile on his face vanished; being alone meant he didn't have to fake it, he didn't have to fake how much he hated all of this.

"Those fools," Saul muttered, jumping onto his bed. "They are softer than I remembered them, and so _trusting_. It's like they no longer know anything that their parents taught them, it's like they never lived on the Island." Saul scoffed. "Idiots."

"Long live evil," Mac agreed, sitting on his own bed and taking out from his case something small inside a plastic bag, and carefully sliding it down his bed. "You're doing well, though," he priced. "I heard Jay and Carlos inviting you to see the Tourney Field. Go and make them spill everything about what happened here when they came, I want to know exactly how my mother lost her powers."

Saul nodded but didn't move, receiving Mac's pointed look a moment later.

"Now?" asked Saul, laying comfortably over his bed, with both hands under his head.

"Now," Mac repeated. Saul huffed and stood up, heading to the door as Mac took an old book from his case and flipped it opened.

Saul left but someone took his place seconds after, and Mac didn't have to look up to know who it was. Mal had a way of walking that gave her away, at least to someone who knew her since forever.

"Do you need anything, sister?" he asked, eyes still on the book, although he was not reading its pages; inside the book, he had maps of Auradon and the school, which Saul had borrowed from his father's office before they left the Isle ―Dr. Facilier had been dragged into the voodoo spirits' world for all eternity as punishment for his failure in repaying his debt to them just a few years after Saul's birth, so he didn't exactly need the maps; they would find the way to bring him back, however, he had promised Saul.

"What's that?" Mal asked, nodding towards the book.

"I think you're familiar with books, Mal," he taunted, breaking into an amused grin, closing the book to look at his sister.

"What kind is it?" she insisted, folding her arms and taking a few steps closer to the bed.

"It's not a spells book, if that's what you're thinking," he stood, and tapped the side of his head with the book's curve, smiling. "I don't need a book for that. Years and years of reading them, it's all in here."

"I'm sure," Mal agreed, eyes burning.

"Do you need anything?" he repeated taking a step closer to her. "A hug maybe? I know you're shy and asking in front of your boyfriend―"

"Don't get any closer to Ben," she warned, eyes narrowed, while the amused smile lingered on Mac's face.

"Why are you so angry at me?" he scowled, inwardly screaming. She had betrayed her own and she was angry at him? She would get what she deserved, traitors would b epunished; when the time was right, she wouldn't escape his rage. "You're angry, Evie's scared, and I don't actually enjoy that."

 _Lie._

"Evie's not scared."

"Isn't she?" Mal gulped down. Everyone could see Evie was scared, and although she was able to hide it, Mal was scared too.

"What are you up to?" she asked, tired of dancing around what she really wanted to know, what she wanted to get from him.

"What makes you think I'm up to anything?" he smiled amusedly.

"I know you, Mac," she narrowed her eyes. "I'm not, but you are our mother's son, you don't fool me. I know you didn't come here because you wanted to run around princes and princesses."

Mac sighed and his smile vanished completely.

"You and I are not just alike on the outside, sister," he said finally, running a hand through his brown hair with a single, dark purple strand on the right. "I'm more like you than you think. Back in the Isle you followed my every step, you wre just as bad and evil, you are aware of all the thing you did back there. And you more than anyone knows that it all was for mother, to make her proud of the children she never wanted." Mal gulped down again, her eyes losing all the fire she intended to show, while Mac took a step closer. "But mother is no longer here," he continued, his voice calm and slow. "There's just you and I, Mal, and although this life chose us, although we were born into it, you escaped it. Maybe I want to try that as well, maybe I wasn't made to be villain either."

Mal didn't know if he was lying ―he most likely was, wasn't he?―, she didn't know if trusting like Ben was the right thing, if not giving up on her brother was a mistake or not. What she did know, though, what she was certain of, was the fact that Mac had never, never looked sincere like he looked now. With one last hesitant look, she left the then, doubtful, surprised and confused.

When he was finally alone in the room, that amused smirk reappeared on Mac's face.

"And everybody says Saul is a better liar than me…" he muttered to himself. He sat on the bed again, opening his book and absently touching the purple rock inlaid on his necklace, while a conversation he had shared with his mother not long ago replayed inside his head.

 _Play them_ , Maleficent had whispered in his ear, _trick them. Make them believe the four of you want to change, gain their trust so we can break them in the end._


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you guys for the reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying it! I should tell you now that I won't be able to update soon, in between studying and living it gets kind of hard to be constantly writing. So just a heads up, but don't worry, I plan on writing this to the end (which I've already written muahahaha).**

 **I don't own anything but Mac, Saul, Jade and Hailey, my four descendants.**

 **This is how I picture them:**

 **Garrett Clayton – Macarius/Mac, son of Maleficent, twin brother of Mal.**

 **Maia Mitchell – Jade, daughter of Captain Hook.**

 **Jake T. Austin – Saul, son of Dr. Facilier.**

 **Joey King – Hailey, daughter of Queen of Hearts.**

* * *

Chapter 2.

"It was Mal. She made your mother shrink to the size of the love inside her heart. She's a small, pitiful lizard now."

Sitting on his bed, Mac sneered as he heard the information Saul had gotten from Jay and Carlos when they happily showed him the rest of the school the day before. Saul had to stay with them until late in the afternoon, listening to the whole story as Jay and Carlos took turns to retell everything that had happened from when they had left the Isle of the Lost to the events during King's Ben coronation. And now Saul was passing down the knowledge to Mac, Jade and Hailey, all of them sitting around the boys' room, trying to gather their thoughts and adjusting their plans to everything they now knew.

If he was honest with himself, Mac was surprised by his sister. He would have never thought her capable of doing that kind of magic and taking down their mother in the process. _Their mother!_ The most powerful villain in the land, how was it possible that Mal had beaten Maleficent when she had never been exceptional with magic, not like him?

"My pathetic sister is not capable of doing such magic," Mac told the others, thinking back to when they lived on the Isle and Mal couldn't get through the easiest little tricks, the ones he effortlessly did under the pressure of the magic barrier. "She would surely kill herself trying to."

"Are you scared she may actually be more powerful than you?" Hailey snorted, brushing her short hair.

"She is not," Mac answered, his voice almost threatening. Just the thought of it was ridiculous; Mal's magic could never compare to his. He had always been extraordinary, his tricks and mischief usually priced by their mother, while Mal had been nothing but a disappointment.

"Whatever, that's how those two idiots finished the long, long story," Saul said, taking a bite from an apple he had stolen from the kitchen along with a whole meal for himself of course. It looked like he had taken Jay and Carlos' advice to try every food he could. "And I'm certain they weren't lying."

"How? You read minds now?" Hailey asked, making Jade grin mockingly as well.

"No I don't, but at least I'm being more useful than you," Saul shot back, sending a glare her way.

"Do you want to lose your head?" Hailey sneered, pointing the brush threateningly to his face.

Mac rolled his eyes; they were always fighting like that, making fun of each other and laughing at the other's failures. And still they were more of a family than his own sister had been, because the four of them had also shared laughter after causing misery to others. They enjoyed spreading evil together, they were a team. The perfect team, really. Saul had a thing for playing with people; he was a liar and a cheat just like his father, tricking others into giving him stuff in exchange for nothing at all. Jade was deadly with a sword; she had learned the ways of swordsmanship since she was a child and had grown to be unbeatable at it. Hailey was agile with her body just like she was with her words; at fourteen, she was strong and athletic, but also could persuade people into doing whatever she wanted.

And Mac, Mac was the brains, the power, the leader. He had his magic and his plans, and a heart that wanted nothing but to spread misery and evilness and fear. He was the best at it, just like his mother had been once, when she was running free around the lands, full of magic and power, way before fair, good hearted Kings and Queens ruled the realms. Mac hated them, he hated them all for throwing his kind into that Island to rot and vanish into nothingness.

He would bring those treasured times back; he would free all villains to make of that now peaceful world one of terror and despair.

"I'm certain they were not lying either," Mac agreed. "Those two really believe we want to be here. Unlike my sister and the evil princess."

"Not so evil," Jade scoffed standing up and taking out her dagger. She aimed at the poster in the wall ―one with Beast's face on it and a quote under it that read 'Goodness is good for your heart!', which had made Saul laugh until he had no more air in his lungs― and threw it with a flick of her wrist. The knife pierced the paper right through Beast's left eye. As she walked to retrieve the knife, she added, "We have to do something about it, anyway. They won't ever trust us if we don't give them something to trust in."

"And what's the best way of making someone trust you?" Saul asked uncertainly.

"Poisoning someone they hate?" Hailey proposed, ripping the cover of another heart shaped lollipop. "That made me trust Jade."

"You hated that salesman and I had an extra bottle of poison in my pocket," Jade shrugged, throwing the knife again and hitting the right eye this time. "Today you, tomorrow me, right?"

"Poisoning someone here is not going to make them trust you, girls," Saul said, giving them a look before going back to eating his apple, laying lazily on his bed. "I think love is their weakness. If they love, they trust. That's pretty much what life here is about. Carlos told me that Ben trusted Mal because he actually fell for her after the love potion faded at the enchanted lake."

"So a love potion?" Jade frowned.

"No," Mac spoke and the three of them turned to look at him. "No. Those four would realize if we used a love potion on someone, it's a complete give away. But―" He stood then and walked towards his bed, opening the drawer of the bedside table and taking out a long necklace. It had a big, red rock in the form of a heart as a pendant, and the shape of a golden crown on top. "It doesn't mean pathetic and weak love is not the answer."

"Why do you have Evie's necklace?" Hailey asked, and her eyes lighted up a moment later. "Oh! I get it! You charmed it! When she wears it again she'll automatically fall in love with you."

"That's exactly what I said we can't do, Hailey," Mac rolled his eyes. "It's much simpler than that. It's actually the opposite."

"You cursed it?"

"She'll have it back tomorrow," Mac continued, choosing to ignore Hailey. "Last night I washed the rock with a potion I remembered from one of mother's spells books. It's something like a love potion, but the effect is not immediate. If it were, like I said, Mal would know that we're up to something."

"Your point is…?" Saul sat up in bed to give all his attention to Mac.

"It smells."

"It smells," Jade repeated slowly, as if trying to understand.

"The person who wears it only feels a perfume of their like," Mac explained with a smirk, "but the spell is actually making them release pheromones." The three looked at him expectantly, waiting for a better explanation. "Which means that if Evie's wearing this thing and sees me, and only me, she will feel happy and maybe even lustful. In other words, the potion will influence her feelings whenever she lays eyes on me. It will make her fall, slowly, yes, but there's no way to escape it."

"How does it work only with you?" Hailey wondered out loud, frowning.

"I threw a hair of mine into the mixture," Mac grins proudly. "I don't know how much it will take, but I know she'll be in love with me, or with the idea of a kind and good Mac, the one I'll show her I can be."

"This is way you're the brains of this team," Jade said, throwing the knife yet again and hitting in between Beast's eyes this time. "It sounds easy and effective. But what about your sister? Is Saul going to make her fall in love? 'Cause I don't think he can pull it off, not even with potions and spells."

Hailey laughed loudly along with Jade and Saul faked it, hitting Jade's head with the half eaten apple and muttering something about her undeniable failure if she tried too.

"It wouldn't work on my sister," Mac denied, shaking his head. "She's already in love. Unless it's a powerful love potion, you can't trick someone who is already in love. It doesn't work like that. I'm afraid magic it's not so easy, and Mal will actually be the hardest to convince about our 'good souls'."

"What's the plan then?"

Mac sighed, playing with Evie's necklace as the sun shone through the windows and made the red rock glint. He couldn't help but stare at it and get lost in its natural beauty.

"I don't know yet, but don't worry, I'll come up with something."

They started their second day in Auradon with their minds set on their plans to make everyone, including Mal and the others, trust them so they could ultimately break and destroy them, just what Maleficent had always wanted. Saul's mission was to get closer to Jay and Carlos, so he spent the entire morning learning from them everything he needed to know about the school, the rules, and other students he would surely want to get to know, like most of the boys from the tourney team, including Aaron, son of Aladdin, Ryan, son of Rapunzel, and of course, Ben. Jade went directly to meet the girls, Audrey, Jane, Lonnie and the rest, after Jay gave her a heads up about them as they hadn't been as open minded as Ben when they first came to Auradon; but one thing Jade wasn't afraid of was those suck up princesses, she actually hated the idea of spending time with girls that only lived to dress up and paint their nails. But she had to play her part.

And Hailey focused on befriending Rebecca, Ben's little sister, who was just a year younger than Hailey. Right before lunch, however, Hailey broke into Evie's locker to drop the necklace inside, so Mac would be able to make her start to fall in love with him, while he also spent his day trying to get closer to his sister, who was adamant to stay away from him, although Mac knew she had her eyes on him as well. He could feel them boring into the back of his head from time to time, during class or when he headed to his locker to get the books for the next lesson.

When lunch time came, he was already bored to death with all the classes he had endured so far, and there were still two more hours, Chemistry and lastly Remedial Goodness 101, which he definitely wasn't looking forward to. Chemistry, however, he already knew would become one of his favorites, since Evie would be there and he would make sure to show her that he wanted nothing but to be in good terms. At least he had something to look forward to.

He found himself sliding next to Saul on the lunch table with a tray of food ―it smelled so delicious he wanted to spend all day eating; back in the Isle food wasn't nearly as good as this elaborated dishes―, and the girls followed a few minutes after. They were talking among themselves about the stupid princesses they had to put up with the entire day, faking to have the time of their lives.

"One of them said I should join the fencing team," Jade huffed, trying the good looking seafood on her tray. "So ignorant and judgmental. Just because my father was a pirate I must be the best using a sword, right?"

"You are the best using a sword," Saul reminded her, a sarcastic smile on his face.

"Does it mean they have to act like they know anything about me?" Jade questioned, looking at Saul as if he were missing her point completely.

"You should join the fencing team, though," Mac advised, taking a spoonful of his mashed potatoes. The other thee turned to look at him as if he had grown another head, and he waved it off with a half smile. "It would look like you're interested in something here, and you'd actually have fun making a fool of those princes, who call themselves sons of heroes. A villain girl beating them at swordsmanship, that's something I'd enjoy watching."

Jade smirked proudly and shrugged, implying she would think about it.

"I may actually try for tourney," Saul said and Mac nodded; he could see that happening, since Saul was fast and athletic, a quality he had earned from escaping bigger men whenever he played tricks or stole. "Carlos and Jay make it sound fun."

"Tackling princes," Mac smirked. "That is fun."

"Join the team too, then."

"I might," said Mac, shrugging. "I would keep a closer eye on Ben. And I still have to figure out how to break through Mal's trust issues."

"Oh! I forgot to mention that Rebecca already told me where they keep your mother," Hailey jumped into the conversation, pushing her half eaten plate aside and leaning in a little so no one would overhear. Mac grinned widely at the new information. "I forgot because she didn't stop talking about the scepter and its secret location, and also the choir of Auradon Middle School and all the fun she and her friends have there―"

"What did she say about it?" The three leaned eagerly over the table.

"That all her friends are part of it and that I should―"

"Not about the stupid choir," Jade interrupted her, rolling her eyes. "About the scepter!"

"And my mother," Mac added excitedly. "What did she tell you?"

"Well," Hailey began, taking back her plate and looking away from them, offended, "the location of the scepter is a secret, so Rebecca doesn't know where it is, only the former King and Ben know, and the Fairy Godmother, of course." Mac muttered 'damn it' while Jade and Saul sighed disappointedly. "And Maleficent is kept in the headmistress' office."

"In the headmistress' office?" Mac frowned. "Just like that? My mother is a lizard, yeah, but come on, she's the biggest villain in the land. I thought they would've kept her somewhere harder to find."

"It's not hard to find," Hailey agreed, "but it's very hard to get in."

As they ate, Hailey explained then that the Fairy Godmother's office was not only blocked by two guards, but had a handful of spells that didn't allow other than the headmistress and a selected few to get in. Hailey didn't know the extent of the magic protecting the office, but by the way Rebecca had mentioned it, it was never any good for those who tried to break in ―Rebecca told her that one time a few students had tried to get their hands on the answers to the final exams and had ended up with monkey's tails. Mac wasn't afraid of the tails, but he was of getting caught. If they were caught trying to break into the office, they would most certainly be thrown back to the Isle without the chance of getting their revenge.

Agreeing on finding out everything about the headmistress' office as they could, the four left the table when the bell rang; Hailey went to find Rebecca and her friends in the Middle School buildings at the right side of the campus while Mac, Saul and Jade made their way to chemistry.

Unlike their first classes, the atmosphere in the room didn't change when they walked inside the classroom, as all eyes had turned to watch them before and now it looked like their classmates had finally gotten used to their presence. It wasn't fear or hostility what the students showed when they saw them for the first time, but curiosity and even interest. The fact that another four kids from the Isle had lived here before them and had changed their minds during their stay was making things much easier. This time the children of villains were more approachable, which was exactly what they needed to make believable their lies about their friendly manners.

The moment he stepped into the chemistry lab, Mac's eyes found Evie's, who was sitting in the second lab table at the far end of the room, right next to the windows. Her eyes sparkled in a way he hadn't seen in a long, long time; they sparkled with recognition, as if she were the old Evie suddenly meeting with the old Mac ―well, he hadn't really changed― and he inwardly priced himself at his potion making skills. But just as fast as he saw that sparkle, it was gone; she turned to look at her partner and focus on whatever he was telling her. The red sweater and the colorful, matching pants gave Doug away, and Mac had to suppress a smirk just by the thought of those two together.

It was ridiculous.

"Saul Facilier, Jade Hook and…" Mr. Deley called their names, reading the class list.

"And Mac," he finished for Mr. Deley, smiling. "Just Mac."

"Alright, Saul, Jade and just Mac, take your seats, please, the class is about to start," Mr. Deley told them, and Mac headed to where Evie was, of course, taking the seat in the table next to hers.

The whole hour he felt her eyes on the side of his head and he didn't try to take his eyes away from her either when she wasn't looking back. It was almost like a silent game of who could watch the other the most while they thought the other wasn't looking. He let Evie win, of course, who looked a little confused and afraid at her own interest; she didn't know, but the spell was working just the way it had to, and Mac was ready to put his own charming ways to good use.

The evil princess wasn't the biggest flirt back in the Isle, after all.

The bell rang, right after Mac answered one of Mr. Deley's awfully long and difficult questions and left him speechless with a proper answer, and he headed outside the room, leaning against the wall as he watched everyone exit the lab, waiting for her. She wasn't the last one and Mac actually felt Doug's stare as he called her name and followed her when she turned around to see who it was only to accelerate her pace.

"Oh, come on, Evie," he chuckled as he finally approached her, taking a hold of her elbow to make her look at him. "I just want to talk."

"Well, I don't want to talk to you," she stated, slipping out of his grip and giving a good glare before starting to walk away. He didn't listen, though, and settled next to her, matching her pace. "Can you not follow me? What part of 'I don't want to talk to you' you don't understand?"

"You know me, I've never been one to listen," he joked, grinning, and Evie stopped walking, even turned to look at him. She didn't look scared anymore, he noticed, she looked angry and ―was that disappointment? Mac inwardly sighed; maybe this potion would take longer to affect her that he thought it would if the only thing she currently felt towards him was alarm and distrust.

"Do you think this is funny?"

"I think everything is funny," he looked at her, eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Well, then you can laugh by yourself," she told him, resuming her marching down the hall.

He rolled his eyes annoyingly, before playing it off with a smile, following her yet again.

"I just wanted to lighten up the mood between us," he assured her, shrugging innocently. "I don't like the fact that you and my sister are avoiding me everywhere I go."

"You can't just expect to lighten up the mood between us when there is no mood to lighten up, you and I are not friends," Evie narrowed her eyes, still looking ahead, her necklace moving back and ford as she walked fast with Mac at her heels. "And your sister and I are not avoiding you. We just don't want you close."

"Why?" he questioned angrily, playing the victim. He was anything but stupid, he knew exactly how to carry out this performance, this role of good guy just trying to win them over so he could finally fit in. "Why are you so against the idea of me being here?"

"Because we know exactly what you're capable of," she told him. "There's nothing you can do to make us trust you."

He thought it was a lost battle to keep trying right now, and he was about to stop following her like a lost, pitiful puppy ready to give up for today, but the yellow sign a few feet in front of him changed his mind and just like he intended, he was right there to catch her when Evie slipped with the wet floor. She started to fall backwards, prepared to hit her back real bad, but he was fast enough to bring an arm around her shoulders, catching her midair. She looked up, taken aback by the sudden fall and found two alarmed eyes staring back at her.

"You have to admit this is so cliché," he murmured.

As he felt the discomfort irradiating off of her because of the sudden proximity, they silently watched each other as Mac pulled her back on her two feet and the feeling of her warm skin lingered on his fingers. He was the one to speak first, pushing that last thought away.

"Look," he began his voice soft and sincere, "I want to do this 'being good' thing, at least I want to try. What I mean is that I want to have a choice, Evie, after what you four did I realized that our parents don't decide who we are. We do." He inwardly smiled when he realized she was listening to his words very carefully. "And we were raised to believe something, but maybe that wasn't our truth, that's what I came to find out, because I have doubts as well, just like I'm sure you had when you arrived here. I believe that you haven't really changed, you just became who you were meant to be here and I want to get to know that person while I become who _I_ am mean to be. I want us to be friends, Evie, and not like in the Island, where we just had a silent agreement on not stabbing each other in the back. I want a chance, the same chance you had."

When he finished his long, improvised speech ―he surprised himself with his lying skills―, he only thought how completely pathetic and stupid it sounded in his ears; he couldn't even picture a world where he wasn't spreading fear and evilness, a word where he was bad and merciless. That's what he had been born to do, that's what his mother had taught him all his life, and he enjoyed it way too much. And this place, this kingdom with princes and princess running around in those despicable gardens and that filthy would never change his mind.

He knew exactly who he was.

Evie didn't say a thing, however, and turned around. She just left without a word. This time Mac didn't follow, he knew he had said the right thing, he knew he had planted a seed that soon would start to grow until he had gained her trust and Mal's along with hers. He couldn't help the smirk on his lips as he stood alone in the corridor and finally headed the other way after a moment, to the tourney field with a feeling of annoyance settled in his chest.

Evie's presence wasn't his favorite after all, it was far from it.

Meanwhile, Evie hurried along the hallways, heading straight for her room. Something weird was happening to her and it wasn't only the fact that she suddenly thought of Mac's speech of actually one of honesty, suddenly doubting herself about her thoughts towards him ―she and her three friends had been given a chance after all, hadn't they? But no, it wasn't just that. There was a physical pain that she couldn't recognize; she was pretty sure that she knew what it was, but she couldn't put her finger on it. It was like a slight burning in her skin, right against her chest actually.

Almost like a warning.

Once inside her room, instantly forgetting about her books and homework and tourney and Doug and any other thing that had been dancing around her head earlier that day, she looked down at her necklace against her chest, right where her skin burned slightly underneath the shirt. She frowned; the necklace was glowing. It was almost undetectable and most likely only she could tell the difference. But then again she had spent many times staring at the jewelry for hours while silently wondering about everything that roamed her mind; she knew every side and every sparkling point and every curve, so how in hell wouldn't she be able to tell the difference?

When she finally understood what that feeling meant, she accidently dropped her bag as she hurriedly left the room in search for Mal. She had to tell her and fast.

She had to warn her.


End file.
